Sometimes Laughing Is Serious Business
Think about how many times a day something or someone makes you laugh. Now think about how long it has been since you really laughed from the bottom of your soul, a laugh you couldn’t contain.
Children laugh an average of 400 times a day. An adult laughs 15 to 20 times a day.
When did we stop laughing? What happened to our ability to laugh?
Maturity is often associated with seriousness. Laughter is seen as one of the signs of childhood, because of which we unconsciously see laughter as childish behavior and we create mental patterns to avoid it.
In this way , we also see maturity the same as seriousness and we lose our sense of humor, laughter and our ability to be surprised.
The fear of not being serious or unprofessional makes us hide our laughter. This couldn’t be further from the truth; it’s one thing to see everything as a joke, it’s another to not have a sense of humor.
Paradoxically , laughter is the language of the intelligent people. Ultimately, humor is inherently transgressive. With humor we can break the mold established by dogmatic society. It gives us a different perspective or way of looking at things. And if we have a different point of view, we can appreciate the little things.
Laughter can also help you distance yourself from yourself and not take yourself too seriously. Laughter downplays the situation, teaching us to see things from a different point of view.
Imagine a painting. If we are too close to it, we cannot see it as a whole. We only see a small portion. The same thing happens with problems. Smiling allows us to see ‘the whole picture’ from all perspectives.
Save your sense of humor! Be sincere! A genuine sense of humor is your greatest chance at mastering your emotions. Laugh at all the grumpy faces and conceited people. Laugh at your own stupidity, your insecurities, your jealousy. Away with sad faces. Down with the drama, hardship and pity.
Laugh at your fumbling, your mistakes. Laughter is liberating and enlightening. It gives you wings. Laugh in a way that is contagious: you relieve stress and negativity. Smile at everyone. And even more so to the people who look at you with a serious face. See if it’s contagious.
Find an intelligent person with whom you can laugh. The best relationships are built with a sense of humor. Laughter gives us a sense of directness and closeness to the other person, and there’s nothing more fun than laughing with a friend at something only the two of you understand, even if others may think you’ve gone crazy.
Appreciate those who make you laugh. And it’s even better if you laugh hysterically, because it’s better for you than a soothing drug or antidepressant.
To get through life, we need a sense of humor. Remember that sometimes laughing is serious business!
